Excursions

A Day Trip to Busan

For the
first excursion of the 10th Student Council, we had the opportunity to travel
to Busan the second largest city in South Korea. Busan is known for its
mountains, beaches and most importantly seafood. The trip took approximately
three and a half hours, which was worth the journey.

First, we
visited the Buddhist temple ‘Haedong Yonggungsa,' located on the rocky
shoreline facing the mountains. Although surprisingly cold and windy, it was
interesting to experience the historical aspect of Korea through nature. We
walked through a Korean market and saw all of the beautiful hand-made trinkets
they had to offer. Shrines and statues filled the imposing grounds, and there
was a feeling of serenity that embodied the temple.

The people
were amicable and were always ready to tell the fascinating stories of the
temple. One thing we were not expecting was the number of tourists walking
around the temple. Apparently, it is one of the best locations for tourists
because of its unusual location along the shores. On the way back to the bus, we
decided to stop and enjoy the calming sounds and view of the horizon. The
photography spots were perfect since the view was stunning. We had freshly
squeezed drinks and continued our journey into the city.

The second
and last stop of the excursion was the famous Haeundae Beach located in the
Eastern part of Busan. The 1.5km long beach filled with white sand was
surprisingly clean. We took group photos with different views and decided to
use this opportunity and explore more of the city.We traveled to the Shinsegae Centum City
Department Store- the world’s largest department store. Not only does the store
have an ice rink, but also four food courts, a cinema, a water bar, an art
gallery and a ‘Spa Land.’ We stopped by the enormous food court and settled for
the delicious Korean food.

Even though
we had an astounding experience, four hours was not enough for a picturesque
city such as Busan.